11.0°C: Mainly light showery rain with a few early brighter spells. Light W wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:19 BST
* = a photo today.
Priorslee Lake: 05:50 – 09:20
(211th visit of the year)
A Water Rail heard calling from the usual area just once. Last winter period this species was very intermittent and I did not record it this calendar year. So it is bird species #106 for me here in 2020.
Definite highlight was the unexpected appearance of a Green Sandpiper, initially heard calling high overhead and then seen circling before heading off S all at 08:20. This species is a very infrequent passage bird here, most of my handful of previous records being in late Summer. My most recent was on 24 August 2018. However this species often over-winters in small numbers alongside fresh-water where there is soft mud to forage. Bird species #107: creeping up to last year's personal record total of 108.
Also of particular note was my first Redwing of the Autumn seen leaving the small SW copse.
Other bird notes:
- A pair of Gadwall present throughout.
- Several of the Mallard departed before it was light-enough for me to sex them.
- Two brownhead Goosanders first noted at 07:45, together by the concrete ramp with one actually hauled-out. Left soon after when a dog-walker arrived.
- More Coots and also possibly under-recorded. My count was, as usual, taken from the dam-top from where all the water is visible. Later when I was avoiding a shower inside the sailing club shelter there seemed to be more at the W end, though from there I was unable to see whether any birds had moved from the E end.
- One Lesser Black-backed Gull flew through W at 06:31. The first 51 of an eventual total of 308 arrived between 06:45 and 07:00. Just three remained at 07:10. 26 had flown in / back by 08:15 together with a single Herring Gull.
- The Cetti's Warbler not heard.
- Two Reed Buntings seen leaving a different roost area. At one other heard calling from the usual site.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Greylag Goose (Billy no-mates inbound)
- 5 Canada Geese (four together outbound; single inbound)
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Green Sandpiper (as highlighted)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 71 Wood Pigeons
- c.290 Jackdaws
- 107 Rooks
- 2 Skylarks (singles)
- 16 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Chaffinch
Warblers logged
None
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 11 Canada Geese: stopped off inbound for a while
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 15 (>8♂) Mallard
- *2 Goosanders, briefly
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 19 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail (heard only)
- 4 Moorhens only
- 134 Coots
- >55 Black-headed Gulls again
- >330 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 1 Herring Gull
Birds on playing fields c.07:55:
[Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded]
- c.130 Black-headed Gulls all on the academy playing field
They were very mobile and hard to count. c.40 flew off as I started the count and I noted c.90 more still on the grass.
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
- *2 Rhomboid Tortrix moths (Acleris rhombana)
- 1 plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- *1 spider sp., perhaps the 'Giant House Spider'-type Eratigena duellica
Noted later
- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris): one flew past me
- *Common Maple Aphid (Periphyllus testudinaceus)
- 1 Grey Squirrel
I forgot to check out the fairy ring toadstools first noted on Saturday.
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
- *2 Rhomboid Tortrix moths (Acleris rhombana)
- 1 plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- *1 spider sp., perhaps the 'Giant House Spider'-type Eratigena duellica
Noted later
- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris): one flew past me
- *Common Maple Aphid (Periphyllus testudinaceus)
- 1 Grey Squirrel
I forgot to check out the fairy ring toadstools first noted on Saturday.
One of two 'crazy paving' Rhomboid Tortrix moths (Acleris rhombana). This one on a lamp pole.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:23 – 10:23
(196th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Many Tufted Duck quickly starting to acquire drake plumage.
- One Sparrowhawk shot low across the E side hedges scattering House Sparrows. The other was being hassled by a Carrion Crow overhead.
- So where were all the Moorhens then?.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Sparrowhawks
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 2 Jackdaws
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 Greylag Geese: departed
- 50 Canada Geese exactly
- 40 (24♂) Mallard
- 87 (>32♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens only
- 43 Coots again
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
On various lamp poles:
- 1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
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The Flash: 09:23 – 10:23
(196th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Many Tufted Duck quickly starting to acquire drake plumage.
- One Sparrowhawk shot low across the E side hedges scattering House Sparrows. The other was being hassled by a Carrion Crow overhead.
- So where were all the Moorhens then?.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Sparrowhawks
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 2 Jackdaws
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 Greylag Geese: departed
- 50 Canada Geese exactly
- 40 (24♂) Mallard
- 87 (>32♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens only
- 43 Coots again
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
On various lamp poles:
- 1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
My first here this year, surprisingly.
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type harvestman
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestman)
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type harvestman
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestman)
The harvestmen were on the same lamp poles as yesterday but in different positions.
Otherwise:
- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris): again the sole insect species on the Ivy.
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
Otherwise:
- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris): again the sole insect species on the Ivy.
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day
2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Candles Landfill Site
1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)
2008
Trench Lock Pool
1st- winter Mediterranean Gull
c.150 Black-headed Gulls
15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Shoveler
(Ed Wilson)